Current Top Ten

In no particular order....


1. The Backyardigans...especially Pablo (the little blue guy in the stroller).

2. Mommy...poor Daddy is always last in line for Alida's affection. Sorry Matt! Your time will come...no doubt when she's 15 and "hates" her mama!

3. Bath time! She sometimes asks for one...and she always says "hi" (see below) when asked if she'd like one. She pronounces it BAAAhhh and sticks her tongue out for the "th".

4. Noodles....gotta love those Carbs!! She now asks for them at meals...odles...it took me a while to figure out what she was asking for!



5. Saying "hi" when answering "yes". I have tried over and over and over to correct her when saying yes but she insists on saying hi....I just don't get it!



6. Pictures of family and friends....she loves to point people out! She may not always be able to say the names but if you put her in front of a picture of some people and tell her who they are she can then point to each person when asked. The girl has got a great memory!


7. Labeling objects as to who they belong to or who they came from. If it belongs to mommy it is called "mommy's", if it's daddy's then we call it "daddy's", if it's Alida's then we call it "aye-aye's" (not sure why she pronounces her name so strangely!). At bedtime I cover her up with a blanket that Mimi made so her last words at night are "Mimi's" and when I put her coat on that Aunt Nine and Uncle Dave bought her it always "Nine's". She brought some lipstick to me the other day and said "Mimi's"....it was my lipstick but I don't really wear it, Mimi wears lipstick a lot though!!


8. Her phone (and anyone else's phone for that matter) aka Doan!! She loves, loves, loves to talk on the phone. She will use a remote (which we call Daddy's), or a calculator or anything that resembles a phone if her baby cell isn't handy. She has gotten the "hi" and "bye-bye" down pat.

9. Cheese. She Loves, Loves, Loves cheese! She will ask for it while driving and for snack. Anytime we open the fridge she tries to open the top drawer and yells CHEESE!


10. Baby dolls. We weren't aware of this intense interest until Christmas where she received her first real baby doll and a baby stroller, pack 'n' play, baby swing/high chair and shopping cart. She will spend hours putting the baby to bed or pushing the baby through the house. It's so cute to watch!!

Merry Christmas!!

I have so many things that I want to share but absolutely no time to do it in!!! Boo!!! I had to post a Christmas Blog with Alida on Santa's lap. She ABSOLUTELY adored him!!!!!

Until next time.....Merry Christmas to Everyone!!!!

Is it snowing yet?

Getting ready for cold weather! I am sooo excited to see what Alida thinks of the snow this year. Time to build a snowman!! YAY!!

Overdue Halloween Shots

Olivia, Alida and Mason...Alida HATED Mason's mask. She screamed and grabbed Gina faster than you can imagine!!

The cutest little fairy princess and lady bug EVER!!


Alida with Mason...what a scary skeleton!

Proud Papa with his little bug!

Rear view of the most precious little wings you could ever see!

Fun at the Park

Fun at the park with Mommy and Daddy! This girl does not stop...she is the Energizer Bunny!! She loves the swing and the slides...it's so fun to watch her in action!

Growing Vocabulary....

Alida is starting to really talk! SOOOO much fun!! I took a short video of some of the words she's been saying....check it out!

Inappropriate Behavior...

A few weeks ago...maybe it's been a month or even more...anyway, us college gals got together to reminisce about the old days. We decided it was time to teach our daughter's what college was all about. Some people spend all their time boozin' (Alida) and some people work their butts off (Ashley). HA! I'm sure that letting children play with beer cans is somewhat inappropriate...it's pretty funny though.

NOTE: No children drank or even tasted beer in the making of these photos.

4 posts in 1!!

Changes...
Like usual, time is flying by and the things that should be done get passed by and neglected...like cleaning, sleeping, laundry, the list goes on and on! Recently, I left my job at THP to become a TSS worker. For the most part I will be working with autistic children. I am excited for the change of pace....the work will be similar to what I have done in the past...back to my roots. The new job will allow for more flexibility with school which I will need when I eventually start the Nursing Program. It will also allow me more time to study and to be with Alida....Matt is hoping that it will also allow for more cleaning and cooking!! Leaving THP was bittersweet....after almost 5 years it becomes more than a job....it's like a second home. I already miss the people I worked with...I hope we keep in touch!!

15 Months Stats...

Alida had her 15 month doctor's appointment the other night. She now weighs in at 20 lbs and 10 oz (a little less than I thought - only 10th percentile). She was about 30 1/2 inches tall (50th percentile). And her head still measured on the large end...I forget the measurement but it was 75th percentile. The doctor was very happy with Alida's growth and progress. Even though she isn't talking much she was happy that she could do some sign language. I recently taught her to say "please", "thank you" and "cold". I have heard that teaching signs can delay them in speech...I hope that's not the case. I can't wait for her to start talking.....it's so frustrating to not be able to understand her sometimes!!

Down on the farm....

As most of you may know (or not)...Matt's parent's are planning an organic garden for next year. It sounds amazing! Everything you can think of will be planted! We are going to be eating healthy next summer for sure!!! Alida is enjoying the "farm" already.....

Family Time...

It's always nice to spend some relaxing QT with family. A few weeks ago we visited for the day. Alida was thrilled to hang with her cousin's for a short time. It's fun to watch them interact (even if it is just a little bit)! Some day soon they will be off playing with each other and want nothing to do with the rest of us!

The Beach...

We just spent a few days at the beach with Mom-Mom. It was nice to get away for a little while. Alida loved the sand and enjoyed feeding the birds. We took some old cereal and bread to the beach for the gulls....she was holding a piece in her hand and a bird came up and snatched it! Alida didn't seem to mind but it scared Mommy!! She ate the sand a lot less than last time...but she still puts everything in her mouth....pebbles, sea shells, trash!! When does it end?!

Smart Cookie

OK…so, this may not be amazing to some of you...I am not entirely unaware of the phenomenon known as "my baby is an amazing genius" aka "parent pride".....but Matt and I were in utter disbelief when the following scenario occurred. First...here is some quick background info…..I just bought the Wii Fit (a gift from my mom for my 30th - it's a little early but I was never taught patience when I was little! HA!) and it came with 4 additional “feet” to put on the bottom of the board in case you have a thick carpet. They are these little, round plastic discs. Anyway, Alida liked them so much that she decided to take them and put them in the playroom and add them to her toy collection (along with the cinnamon from the spice rack and the Pam Spray from the pantry!!). I found them two nights ago but couldn’t find the fourth one to complete the set. I placed the three that I found in the living room….Alida discovered them again the other night and brought them to me as I was relaxing on the couch watching TV with Matt. This is what happened next:

“Onny mama monmon nah bop.” (Alida hands the three discs to me)
“Thank you Alida. There’s one more and mommy can’t find it. Can you go into your playroom and find it for mommy?” (Me)
“Unh– huhh.” (Alida)
She proceeds to go into her playroom as Matt and I stay in the living room.
“There’s no way she’s going to find it and bring it to you.” (Matt)
“I know…I’m just playing around.” (Me)
Alida re-enters the room with the fourth disc in hand. Looks of disbelief appear on the faces of mommy and daddy.
“Did that just happen?” (Me)
“I think it did…” (Matt)
“I feel like I should call someone to tell them what just happened.” (Me)
“Go ahead….call your mom” (Matt)

This was one of the craziest things that Alida has done. How the heck did she understand what I was saying?! And how the heck did she know where that disc was amongst all her other toys when I couldn’t find it for the life of me!!!!!! OMG!!

Smile for the camera!!

When asked to "smile" for the camera these are the expressions that I got! At least she was trying!!!! HAHA!!

Purses Galore

Alida might just be a girly girl after all! Look out Daddy!! If you are wondering what's around her neck in the one pic it's a furry headband from a Halloween costume...for some reason she likes to wear it around her neck!

Introducing the next American Idol....

Alida LOVES to sing (and dance)! It is the cutest thing. Often times when we take walks or when we are driving in the car you will hear this little hum in all different pitches coming from her. She tends to like the higher pitches the best and sometimes the song ends with her little screams…which Daddy is not too fond of. HA! Alida will also sing when asked….well, usually! Her current favorites are: Itsy Bitsy Spider – where she puts her hands in the air simulating the spider crawling up the web, You are my Sunshine, If you’re happy and you know it – where she stomps her left foot and claps her hands on command, and Jesus loves the little children. She may just take after her mother and perform a wonderful rendition of “God Bless America” at the top of her lungs while standing on a dining room chair during a family get together someday!! :-) Let’s just hope she doesn’t get her father’s tone deafness!!!

BEDTIME??

The dreaded "I don't wanna go to bed" stage is fast approaching. The past few nights Alida has been difficult to put down. She is like the Energizer Bunny when it comes to bedtime. It's hard to know when it's really time for her to go down...she's so happy and plays so nicely! We keep trying for the 7:30 or 8:00 bedtime but the way things are ending up these past few nights we are lucky to get her down by 10 or 10:30!!! We are hoping this is a phase! It has to be!! How can anyone get anything accomplished with a one year old running around?? Did you ever try to clean a toilet with your baby at your heels? It ain't happenin'!

10 of Alida's favorite things...

The following is a short but descriptive list of Alida's top 10 favorite things (order is completely random):

1. Shoes....wearing them, carrying them and taking them off. Again and again and again....

2. Blowing raspberries on mommy's belly.....she is sooooo good at this! This makes daddy laugh every time! Poor Mommy can't lay down on the floor without being attacked these days!!

3. The "I'm gonna get you" game....it throws her into fits of giggles and makes her run somewhat lopsided since she keeps trying to look back to see how close you are to actually getting her.

4. Going outside....once you say it you better do it or else.....

5. Giving kisses....just ask and you shall receive! And sometimes there's no need to ask!!

6. Mom-Mom.....poor mommy is a second rate citizen when Mom-Mom is around!!

7. BLUEBERRIES....still her favorite and a staple at the Lewandoski household.

8. Grabbing things she isn't supposed to have then running away with them as quickly as possible, she looks back to see if you are about to grab it...realizing she can't get away fast enough she throws the item across the room before you can get it!! This drives me CRAZY...but it's so darn cute (and smart!)!

9. Dogs, cats, cows, etc, etc......she always has a smile for them even through her tears.

10. Carrying a purse.....so adorable. She'll load her arm with bags bending her elbow to keep them on and walk around the house with a look of triumph.

She melts our hearts and pushes our buttons ever day!!!

All better!

Alida’s neck is 100% better!! Thank God! I felt as if it was never going to heal. The doctor ordered an X-Ray and we put it off until the end of last week. On Friday morning Alida’s neck seemed so much better! So, we skipped the X-Ray. It looks as if she has made a full recovery. It was seriously starting to scare me! A doctor that works with my mom pulled up some information on torticollis (aka wry neck)…it is caused by an underlying illness. It doesn’t make much sense to me but we administered some Benadryl (relaxes the smooth muscles) and continued with the Motrin. Not sure what did it…time, medicine, prayer…maybe all three! We’re just glad it’s better!!

Poor little stiff neck :(

She will be going for an X-Ray of her hand in the coming weeks. The hand therapist didn’t think it was trigger thumb which is good to hear. She seems to think that over time it will get stronger…that we need to encourage Alida to use it more and correct her when she holds things awkwardly. I do notice that she sometimes uses it the right way…more often than not she tucks it in and makes a fist though. So…we’ll see what the X-Ray says and we will work on some play therapy!

Let's play peek-a-boo.....

Alida has started carrying a purse around. It is the cutest thing! I guess she is so used to seeing me carrying different bags on my shoulder that she wants to do it too! It all started will her small cooler bag…she has been dragging that thing around for a few months now. I pulled out an old purse of mine and ever since she loves to carry it around swinging from her elbow. SO cute! She has also become obsessed with shoes…she tramps around the house with one shoe on a good amount of the time. She will come to me bringing one shoe with her and point to her foot; she will then sit down waiting for me to put it on. She rarely brings both shoes so being the lazy mom that I am…I put one on and don’t worry about the other!

Look how long her hair is getting! Time for pigtails!!

We are still waiting for the little lady to start yapping away!! We thought she’d be spitting out all kinds of stuff by now….but it’s still just ‘mama’, ‘dada’, the occasional ‘ball’ and lots of whining! Last night during a thunderstorm she sat on the floor with me staring out the sliding door at the rain coming down. She was very still and quiet….when the thunder would crash she would look at me very serious in her expression and say a different nonsense word each time….”bauble”, “daba”, etc….it was adorable! I wish I had it on tape!!! She has also started singing! SOOOO adorable! Words cannot describe how cute it is to listen to a little baby try and sing a tune! HAHA!!

Alida is always reading...she even babbles as she turns the pages! :)

No more searching the NET!

Poor Miss Alida. We start off addressing her hand problem and make a few appointments to deal with that. Then this past week she starts to act a little funny. On Thursday I was home with her…I worked Wednesday instead…and she was refusing to sleep for me. Not very unusual but she was so tired it wasn't even funny. It was late afternoon and I decided to put her brand new shoes on so she could walk around and try them out. She was clunking around the hall and I thought she was walking funny due to the shoes – much bigger and heavier than she is used to. I looked a little closer and noticed that she was holding her neck funny, her shoulders were hunched up and she couldn't turn her head very far in either direction. The poor baby could not look up at all! So…I ran next door to get the opinion of my nurse neighbor…she agreed that a phone call to the doc was needed. Well….apparently it was a pulled muscle because she had no other symptoms. I talked my mom into asking one of the doc’s at her work this weekend to take a look and she noticed that Alida’s lymph nodes were a bit swollen…which could cause the neck stiffness. Nothing too serious…we should wait it out and it should improve. One bottle of Motrin and 5 days later and here we are with a neck that is still stiff. She will be going to see the doctor this evening. I have been driving myself crazy by looking online to see what it could be….not a good idea! Meningitis, Cerebral Palsy…a bunch of other things I can’t pronounce or spell! No more Internet searching for me! I hope this neck problem isn't anything to worry about…. I know that God is watching over her and I pray that he will keep her healthy!

A Quick Recap...

I took Alida to see the hand doctor the other day. He wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with Alida's hand so we have to go and get an X-ray and then make another appointment to see a Certified Hand Specialist. He doesn't think it looks all that serious....he mentioned "trigger thumb" but expressed that if that's what it is then it's a very slight case of it as there was no "clicking" when her thumb was moved and there was a wide range of motion.



On another note...we just got back from the beach! A mini gal's vacation. Alida did wonderfully! She ate lots of sand and drank lots of ocean water.....isn't that what all 13 month old's do? She was a handful though....she wanted to walk EVERYWHERE!!! She was so sick of the stroller! We tried to let her walk as much as we could but with the crowds it was somewhat difficult. Being the independent little girl that she is every time she was returned to her stroller she would play the "stiff as a board" game. So much fun!! On vacation she seemed to babble more than ever and now that we are home she seems to be saying "ball" (or some form of that word) and "dog" or "down". It's so cute to watch! I have also been teaching her some more sign language....she knows milk and all done. I am currently working on "please", "thank you", "more" and "drink". Either she'll say it or sign it! That's what I figure!


Lounging on one of our MANY walks.

Not sure if she likes her hands to be sandy!


Enjoying her beach toys!


She LOVED the birds! AMAZING!


All tuckered out after one of her MANY rides/walks!

PARTY TIME!

First of all I would like to send out a HUGE thank you to all of you that helped me with Alida's party!! Matt and I are so incredibly lucky to have friends and family like all of you!!

The party was a success! The balloons were deflated when I arrived in the morning....who knew that helium wouldn't last over night??!! i was tempted to run out and get more balloons but there just wasn't enough time! The day started off with some family pictures (the Lewandoski side) taken by my friend, Suzanne Collier. The picture process reminded me just how hot it was outside! UGH! It was pretty humid which made matters worse. Alida was quite clingy and not her usual self throughout the pictures but she didn't meltdown, which was good! The rest of the day is quite a blur. I'm not sure if I sat down or even got to talk to anyone. I felt like I was running around with my head cut off before the party even started. This is apparently common at first birthdays! Thank goodness it only happens once for each child :-) I think (at least I hope!) everyone enjoyed themselves, the food and was able to keep at least somewhat cool. The kids kept themselves busy in the baby pools....thank goodness we had them! We only forgot two things all day...the ice cream and the DVD. Considering the cake was huge and my wonderful sis-in-law, September, baked some absolutely delicious desserts I don't think the ice cream was missed. As for the DVD...since no one really knew it existed it wasn't a big deal. But we really wanted to show off our hard work in creating a slide show for her first year. I am hoping to figure out a way to download it to the blog....haven't been able to do it yet. But...all in all the party went quite well.

Alida held herself together quite well. She didn't nap as perfectly in the morning as I had hoped...I knew that would happen. But, she pulled through.....I don't remember any tantrums!